Locking latch for a disk-pack storage container

ABSTRACT

A squeeze operated mechanism for releasably attaching the bottom cover of a disk-pack storage container to a disk-pack which mechanism includes a key-operated lock.

United States Patent 1191 Wir th Jan. 15, 1974 LOCKING LATCH FOR ADISK-PACK [56] References Cited STORAGE CONTAINER UNITED STATES PATENTSInventor: Wayne Wirlh, North Paul, 1,786,332 12/1930 Bradshaw 70/165Minn. 3,736,777 6/1973 Wirth 70/63 [73] Assignee: Minnesota Mining and IManufacturing Company St Paul Przmary ExammerMz 1rvm A. Champion MinnAssistant ExaminerR1chard P. Tremblay Attorney-Alexander, Sell, Steldt &Delahunt [22] Flled: Sept. 27, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 292,488 5 ABSTRACT Asqueeze operated mechanism fbr releasably attach- U-S. Cl. F the b ttQmcover of a disk-pa.ck torage ontainer [5 Int. to a disk-pack mechanismincludes a key- 0f Search 166, operated lock 70/167, 169, 173, DIG. 34;206/52 F, 62 R 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAIENIEQ M 3.785.184

SHEET 2 BF 2 I FIG. 4

LOCKING LATCH FOR A DISK-PACK STORAGE CONTAINER Field of the InventionThis invention relates to mechanisms for closing diskpack storagecontainers, and in one aspect to an improvement in a mechanism forreleasably attaching the bottom disk-pack cover to a disk-pack.

Background of the Invention Storage containers for disk-packs typicallycomprise mating top and bottom covers, each of which is coupled to astored diskpack by its own attaching mechanism. To use the disk-pack,the bottom cover is removed by releasing its attaching mechanism. Thetop cover remains coupled and serves as a wrench to engage a boltassembly in the hub of the disk-pack with the spindle of a disk drive.Upon such engagement, the mechanism attaching the disk-pack to the topcover is released, and the top cover may be removed.

The top cover cannot be removed prior to removal of the bottom cover, sothat access to a contained diskpack can be controlled by restrictingoperation of the bottom cover attaching mechanism. Such controlledaccess may be desirable to prevent tampering with packs during shipment,or to prevent inadvertent or unauthorized use of a disk-pack in astorage center.

While the squeeze operated type of attaching mechanism for the bottomcover of a disk-pack illustrated in this application is known,heretofore there has been no known means for restricting operation ofthis latching mechanism to prevent removal of the bottom cover.Additionally, except for US. Pat. application Ser. No. 194,150, now US.Pat. No. 3,736,777, issued June 5, 1973, in which applicant disclosed alocking means for a rotatably operated bottom cover attaching mechanism,there is no known prior disclosure of a disk-pack storage container witha bottom cover attaching mechanism having a key-operated lock.

Summary ofthe Invention A disk-pack storage container having a bottomcover attaching mechanism according to the present invention affordskey-operated locking of the containerto restrict access by unauthorizedindividuals to the diskpack contained therein.

There is provided a disk-pack container including a circular bottomcover having a mechanism for attaching the bottom cover to the hub of adisk-pack. The attaching mechanism has two latching members mounted foropposed radial reciprocating movement relative to the center of thebottom cover between an outer engaging position to which they are springbiased, and an inner releasing position. Each latching member has aradially projecting arcuate lip spaced from the inner surface of thecover and adapted for engagement over an inwardly projecting annularflange centered in the hub ofthe disk-pack when the latching member isin the engaging position. Also, each latching member has between ablocking position where a locking lug thereof is between the latchingmembers to prevent their movement to the releasing position, and aposition affording movement of the latching members to the releasingposition.

Brief Description of the Drawing The invention will be further describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like mem bers referto like parts in the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical view partially in section of a diskpack storagecontainer having a disk-pack therein, and having a bottom coverattaching mechanism including the improvement of locking means accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view taken generally along the lines 2-2 of FIG.1 with the disk-pack removed to show the bottom cover attachingmechanism;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view taken generally along the lines 3-3 of FIG.1 with one part broken way to show details of the locking means; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective exploded view partially in sectionof the bottom cover and attaching mechanism including the locking meansaccording to the present invention.

Description of the Preferred] Embodiment Referring now to FIG. 1, thereis shown a disk-pack storage container 10 including atop cover 11 and abottom cover 12 for housing a disk-pack 14. Each of the covers has itsown mechanism for attaching it to the disk-pack 14, and the bottom coverattaching mechanism generally designated 13 includes the improvement oflocking means according to the present invention.

The top cover 11 of the disk-pack storage container 10 has a circulartop wall 15 and a dependent generally cylindrical side wall 16. Thecircular bottom cover 12 has a circular gasket 18 attached about itsperiphery and shaped for engagement with the distal edge of the sidewall 16 to afford a dust tight seal.

The attaching mechanism 19 for the top cover 11 is operable only uponremoval of the bottom cover 12 and attaches the top cover 11 to a boltassembly 20 in a hub 21 of the disk-pack 14. The top cover attachingmechanism 19 is of the type described in Us. Pat. No. 3,465,875. Brieflya handle 22 for the disk-pack storage container 10 is mounted in adepression in the top cover 11 and is formed with a socket 23 designedto mate with an upper portion of the bolt assembly 20. The bolt assembly20 includes a series of balls 24 guided for radial movement withinorifices formed in a bolt body 25. The balls 24 are movable outwardly inthe orifices to engage receiving notches in the socket 23 by an axiallyslidable cam within the bolt body 25 (not shown). The cam is normallybiased to a position locating the balls 24 outwardly in the orifices tomaintain locking engagement with the socket 23. To use the disk-pack thehandle 22 is manually rotated to engage a threaded end of the boltassembly 20 with the drive spindle in a disk-pack drive (not shown).During engagement, an axially fixed pin in the spindle moves the cam,thereby affording movement of the balls 24 inwardly of the bolt body 25to release the top cover 11.

The bottom cover attaching mechanism 13 includes an externally operableattaching means for releasably attaching the bottom cover 12 to thedisk-pack 14, and

locking means including a key-operated pin tumbler lock mechanism forlocking the attaching means in the attached position.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 4, the attaching means includes a pairof latching members 26 mounted on the bottom cover 12 to affordcontradirectional reciprocal radial sliding movement. With respect tothe center of the bottom cover 12, the latching members 26 are eachslidable from an outer engaging position at which a radially projectingarcuate lip 28 on each latching member 26 is in engagement over aninwardly projecting annular flange 29 centered in the hub 21 of thedisk-pack 14 to secure the bottom cover 12 thereto, to an innerreleasing position at which the arcuate lips 28 on the latching members26 are retracted within the annular flange 29 to allow the bottom cover12 to be removed or positioned adjacent the hub 21. The latching members26 may be manually moved to the releasing position against biasing meansor springs 31 by manually squeezing together a pair of bosses 32 formedon the latching members 26.

Considering the members of the attaching mechanism in more detail, thelatching members 26 (best seen in FIG. 4) are preferably molded of ahard plastic. Each latching member 26 includes a semicircular plate likeportion 33 having a projection 34 on one surface including a generallyU-shaped plate like portion parallel to the semicircular portion 33 andterminating in the arcuate lip 28. The projection 34 is adapted toextend through an opening 36 in thhe bottom cover 12 and the plate likeportion on the projection 34 is spaced from the semicircular plate likeportion 33 so that their adjacent surfaces will slide on oppositesurfaces of the bottom cover 12. The movement of each latching member 26on the bottom cover 12 is guided by sliding contact between the sidewalls of the projection 34 and of the opening 36 which side walls areoriented in the direction of movement for the latching member 26. Theengaging and releasing positions of each latching member 26 are definedby abutment of the projection 34 against the radially outer and innerwalls of the opening 36, respectively. The bottom cover 12 has anannular recess 38 on its inner surface to receive the annular flange 29on the disk-pack hub 21, and the arcuate lips 28 are spaced from theinner surface at the recess 38 to afford engagement of the arcuate lips28 over the flange 29.

The boss 32 on each latching member 26 extends across the end of thesemicircular portion 33 opposite the arcuate lip 28 at a right angle tothe direction of movement of the latching member 26 on the bottom cover12. The bosses 32 both project from the exterior surface of the bottomcover 12 and provide contraposed gripping surfaces 41 which may bemanually squeezed toward each other to move the latching members 26 totheir releasing position. A flange 42 projects from the boss 32 on eachlatching member 26 in a direction opposite the arcuate lip 28. Anelongated externally projecting bracket 44 is attached to the exteriorof the bottom cover 12 as by screws 45. The bracket 44 is diametricallydisposed on the bottom cover 12 at a right angle to the direction ofmovement of the latching members 26 and has a transverse openingdefining an enclosure 46 in which the opposed flanges 42 of the twobosses 32 are guided during sliding movement of the latching members 26.The opposed flanges 42 are each formed with a centrally located arcuatenotch 56 to afford clearance for a support post 58 for the bracket 44when the latching members 26 are in the releasing position, and a pairof elongated gaps 59 equally spaced on opposite sides of the arcuateaperture 56 which form a portion of the lock means to be explainedlater. The latching members 26 are each formed with a pair of parallelpins 48 projecting at generally a right angle from the side of the boss32 opposite the gripping surface 41. The pins 48 position the pair ofsprings 31 between the latching members 26 within the enclosure 46 tobias the latching members 26 to the engaging position.

The lock means of the bottom cover attaching mechanism 13 is best seenin FIGS. 2 through 4. The lock means may be operated by a removable key51 when the latching members 26 are in their engaging position andincludes a key-operated rotatable plug 52 which may be operated toposition a pair of locking lugs 54 on a blocking member 55 between theflanges 42 pro jecting from the bosses 32 to prevent movement of thelatching members 26 to the releasing position.

The blocking member 55 is preferably a stamped sheet steel part slidablymounted within the enclosure 46 formed by the bracket 44 for movementgenerally normal to the direction of movement of the latching members26, and having end walls 66 from which project the locking lugs 54. Theblocking member 55 is mounted within the enclosure 46 with a surface 62of the blocking member 55 slidably contacting the inner surface of thebottom cover 12 and the distal end of the locking lugs 54 slidablycontacting the inner surface of the bracket 44. Sliding movement of theblocking member 55 is guided by means including a tab 61 projecting fromthe surface 62, which tab 61 maintains sliding edge contact in anelongated opening 64 in the bottom cover 12, and an elongated opening 65in the blocking member 55 adapted for sliding engagement over thecentral support post 58 of the bracket 44.

The blocking member 55 is thus slidable between a blocking and anon-blocking position. In the blocking position the pair of locking lugs54 are positioned between the distal edges of the flanges 42 to blockmovement of the latching members 26 to the releasing position. In thenon-blocking position the locking lugs 54 are positioned between theelongated gaps 59 in the flanges 42 to afford movement of the latchingmembers 26 to their releasing positions.

The key-operated plug 52 is rotatably mounted in an aperture 68 in thebracket 44, which aperture 68 is partly defined by a tubular sleeve 69extending into the enclosure 46 formed by the bracket 44 and positionedadjacent one of the elongated gaps 59 in each flange 42 to affordclearance therebetween during operation of the attaching means. The axisof the plug 52 is oriented generally normal to the direction of movementof the latching members 26. The plug 52 is a commercially availablemember manufactured by The Chicago Lock Company. The plug 52 isrestricted from axial movement within the aperture 68 by a flange 70which engages a recessed shoulder in the bracket 44 adjacent itsexterior surface and a slidably mounted ring 72 retained in a slot onthe plug 52 and spring biased to a position radially projecting from theperiphery of the plug 52 to engage the distal end of the sleeve 69. Thesleeve 69 has two degree opposed axially extending grooves 73 along itsinner surface. The plug 52 has a plurality of axially spaced radiallyslidable tumblers 74. The tumblers 74 are spring biased to a normalposition projecting from the plug 52 to afford engagement with eitherone of the grooves 73, which engagement defines a first and a secondposition of the plug 52 with respect to the bottom cover 12. Thetumblers 74 may be retracted to a position within the plug 52 to affordrotation of the plug by insertion of the key 51 from the outer surfaceof the bottom cover 12 in an axially extending keyway 76 in the plug 52.The key 51 is retained within the keyway 76 except when the plug 52 isin its first or second position as the tumblers 74 must be free to moveto a position projecting from the plug 52 to afford removal of the key51. Thus by use of the key 51 the plug 52 may be rotated 180 degreesbetween the first and the second positions, at which positions the key51 is removable to prevent rotation of the plug 52.

The lock means includes drive means providing driv ing engagementbetween the plug 52 and the blocking member 55 to move the blockingmember 55 between the blocking and non-blocking position upon rotationof the plug 52 between its first and second positions. An eccentricallypositioned drive pin 79 projects from the end of the plug 52 positionedwithin the enclosure 46, and extends through a transverse slot 81 in theblocking member 55. The drive pin 79 is positioned so that at both thefirst and second positions of the plug 52, a line through the axis ofthe plug 52 and the axis of the drive pin 79 is in the plane of movementof the blocking member 55. Upon rotation of the plug 52, the drive pin79 engages one side wall of the slot'8l to move the blocking member 55between the blocking and nonblocking positions. The slot 81 extends inonly one direction from the position of the drive pin 79 at the first orthe second position of the plug 52. Thus rotation of the plug 52 towardeither its first or its second position is stopped at that position bycontact of the drive pin 79 with the end of the slot 81 to define thatposition for the user.

Operation of the locking means is possible only when the latchingmembers 26 are in the engaging position. The key is inserted to rotatethe plug 52 and drive pin 180 degrees, thereby moving the blockingmember 55 to a position at which the locking lugs 54 are positionedbetween the flanges of the bosses 32 to prevent manual movement of thelatching members 26.

Having thus described the present invention, what is claimed is:

l. A disk-pack container having a circular bottom cover including anattaching mechanism for attaching the bottom cover to a disk-pack hubhaving an inwardly projecting annular flange, said attaching mechanismcomprising:

two latching members mounted on said bottom cover for oppositereciprocal radial movement between an outer engaging position and aninner releasing position, each latching member having a radiallyprojecting lip spaced from the inner surface of said bottom cover andadapted for engagement over the annular flange of a said disk-pack hubcentrally positioned adjacent the inner surface of the bottom cover whensaid latching member is in the engaging position, and a boss projectingfrom the exterior surface of the cover and having a gripping surface toafford manual movement of said latching members to their releasingpositions; and

spring means for urging said latching members to their engagingpositions, wherein the improvement comprises:

lock means for releasably locking said latching members in theirengaging position, including:

a locking member having at least one lug and being mounted on said coverfor movement from a blocking position with said lug between saidlatching members to prevent movement of said latching members to thereleasing position, to a nonblocking position affording movement of saidlatching members to said releasing position;

a pin tumbler lock mechanism including a keyoperated plug mounted onsaid bottom cover for rotation between a first and a second position andoperable from the outer surface of said bottom cover; and

drive means for providing driving engagement between said plug and saidlocking member to move the blocking member between said blocking andnon-blocking positions upon rotation of said plug between said first andsecond positions.

2. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said attaching mechanism includesan elongate bracket projecting externally from the bottom cover anddisposed at a right angle to the direction of movement of said latchingmembers, said bracket having a transverse opening to define an enclosurebetween said bracket and said bottom cover; said latching members eachcomprise a flange projecting in a direction opposite said lip and havingspaced gaps along the distal edge of said flange, said flanges beingguided by said bracket for movement into said enclosure upon movement ofsaid latching members toward said releasing position; and said blockingmember has spaced lugs positioned between said gaps when said blockingmember is in said nonblocking position, and positioned between thedistal edges of said flanges to block movement of said latching memberwhen said blocking member is in the blocking position.

. 'i'lJNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE I CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No3,7 5,l Dated January 15, 197 4 I nventor(s) Wayne -"Wir'th I: iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent: and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2,. line 9, change "mem-" to num Claim 1, line 1 (C01. 6, l. 8)after "when" insert each line 15 (C01. 6, l. 9) after- "position" deletethe comma, and after "and" insert having line 16 (C01. 6

1. 10) change "and having" to formed with line 17 (C01. 6, 1. 11) before"said" insert each line 18 (Col. 6, l. 12) change "bers to theirreleasing positions" to her to itsfreleasing position line 2 4 (Col. 6,l. 18)

change locking"to blocking ---5 line 25 (C01. 6, 1. 19)

change "from" to between ---5 line 28 (C01. 6, l. .22) change "to"(second-occurrence) to and line 33 (C01. 6, l. 27) after "and"(secondoccurrence) insert positioned to be -5 w and line 37 (001. 6, l. 31')change "locking" to blocking Claim 2, line 1, change "The mechanism of"to A diskpack container according to Signed and sealed this 15th day ofAugust 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR. c. MARSHALL DANN 3 Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents 1 warm PC3-1550 uo-ss)

1. A disk-pack container having a circular bottom cover including anattaching mechanism for attaching the bottom cover to a disk-pack hubhaving an inwardly projecting annular flange, said attaching mechanismcomprising: two latching members mounted on said bottom cover foropposite reciprocal radial movement between an outer engaging positionand an inner releasing position, each latching member having a radiallyprojecting lip spaced from the inner surface of said bottom cover andadapted for engagement over the annular flange of a said disk-pack hubcentrally positioned adjacent the inner surface of the bottom cover whensaid latching member is in the engaging position, and a boss projectingfrom the exterior surface of the cover and having a gripping surface toafford manual movement of said latching members to their releasingpositions; and spring means for urging said latching members to theirengaging positions, wherein the improvement comprises: lock means forreleasably locking said latching members in their engaging position,including: a locking member having at least one lug and being mounted onsaid cover for movement from a blocking position with said lug betweensaid latching members to prevent movement of said latching members tothe releasing position, to a non-blocking position affording movement ofsaid latching members to said releasing position; a pin tumbler lockmechanism including a key-operated plug mounted on said bottom cover forrotation between a first and a second position and operable from theouter surface of said bottom cover; and drive means for providingdriving engagement between said plug and said locking member to move theblocking member between said blocking and non-blocking positions uponrotation of said plug between said first and second positions.
 2. Themechanism of claim 1, wherein said attaching mechanism includes anelongate bracket projecting externally from the bottom cover anddisposed at a right angle to the direction of movement of said latchingmembers, said bracket having a transverse opening to define an enclosurebetween said bracket and said bottom cover; said latching members eachcomprise a flange projecting in a direction opposite said lip and havingspaced gaps along the distal edge of said flange, said flanges beingguided by said bracket for movement into said enclosure upon movement ofsaid latching members toward said releasing position; and said blockingmember has spaced lugs positioned between said gaps when said blockingmember is in said non-blocking position, and positioned between thedistal edges of said flanges to block movement of said latching memberwhen said blocking member is in the blocking position.